For one minute, walk outside, stand there, in silence, look up at the sky and contemplate how amazing life is.

Friends

27 March 2020

My point of view

Present conditions remind me of the war years, when food was
short and life uncomfortable, but at least people stuck together. Now we
are avoiding passing the time of day or getting close to passers-by. Gone are the days when we felt able to greet
our neighbours with a smile. I happened to be outside when my next-door
neighbour came out of her house, took one look at me and rushed back inside,
slamming the door as if I had insulted her. Although I knew the reason, it didn’t
make me feel any better.

Coronavirus!

Back to the loneliness of life!

As I live alone and cannot do much in the way of helping
myself in the outside world, loneliness takes over and I pray that someone
somewhere will say Hi, Val, how ya doing? Well, I can dream, can’t I?

Yesterday, it dawned on me that if I was taken ill or
something nobody would know. My son and his partner live a good distance away so
we use the phone to communicate. Not often, but the opportunity is there. So,
yesterday I suggested they keep a check on me by phone, at least once a
day. They went one better. They spoke to my next door neighbour and arranged to
keep in touch on a daily basis. As a result, the neighbour would check that I hadn’t
fallen or something. It remains to be seen if good intentions continue.

Okay, I know the family should have used their own
initiative and not waited for me to shout ‘Help’. I can only thank the good Lord for giving me
the brains to write a blog, something that gives me the incentive to carry on
carrying on. I can still do most things, but slower than when I was young and
fit. No problem, until along comes coronavirus and world wide panic. I am
grateful that I have no sign of worrying symptoms and my heart goes out to
those who have suffered and died.

Wishing you all a sackful of patience in these troubled
times. God bless.

22 comments:

I understand your anxiety about being alone. I have a partner in my home, but my daughter is all alone in the town about 30 km. from us. She is not good about keeping her phone charged and I get really anxious when I can't get her on the phone. She also has epilepsy, to further complicate things.

Oh dear, I understand your worry. What is 'everythings fine' to our offspring is just the opposite for us parents. Something we have to live with, I'm afraid, but one day they will understand our feelings.

"... took one look at me and rushed back inside, slamming the door as if I had insulted her. "

Valerie, that's exactly what I have experienced here as well. Many people (but not all) are scared out of their minds, so they are reacting as such. I was walking down the street a few days ago when I jogger, who was approaching me, literally changed her direction and ran out into the street making a HUGE detour around me in a circle, as not to get too close. I understand people being concerned, but quite frankly, I think that was a bit much. As I shared on my blog, I take all the necessarily health precautions, however, I am not freaking and ultra paranoid about every single thing.

I too live alone. I'm staying in touch with friends via phone, texting, and emails. We try to check up on each other, just to stay connected. I am also keeping up via blogging.

I'm also using this downtime to give myself a lot of self-care - meditation, yoga, vitamin supplements, and spending a hour a day outside in the park, if the weather permits.

Happy to read that your son made arrangements for your neighbors to check in on you daily. That's awesome!

I don't get too much attention, thankfully. I couldn't stand a molly-coddle attitude. However, having said that, a polite enquiry as to my state of mind wouldn't come amiss occasionally. There I go with another moan lol.

Hi, Val, how ya doing? :))) I wish we lived in the same neighborhood :) People's fear makes some totally irrational. I once heard a man say, out of his own mouth and one whom I will not name, "Make people fearful and they will do anything you want them to do." Dreadful! Another famous individual said, "There is nothing to fear but fear itself." I can understand the fear but not the slamming of doors in one's face. Glad you son came through for you, even if it took his Mum to jog him a little. Keep blogging! It is a great way of keeping in touch with literally the whole world, even if we aren't as close as we would like to be, and I love keeping in touch with you. Take good care of yourself my dear friend.

It's sad when your neighbour is so frightened she can't even say hello. I'm guessing there was enough distance between you that any risk was minimal? We're all told to keep at least 1.5 meters apart, more if possible.

Two lady neighbours who live near me walked out of their house together then separated. One loitered in the corner of their front garden and the other in another corner. Then they joined hands and walked back into the house. I wondered at this, imagining that the dreaded virus would get them whatever they did.

I'm glad your son has contacted the neighbour. In fact, after I have had quite a long period away from Blogland, I can tell you that wondering how YOU were doing is the precise reason I checked in today! Now I've seen you're okay, I'll start to read everyone else's blogs. So don't forget that WE are here too, caring.

Hi Val, How are you doing? I too wish that we lived closer because for sure I would be saying hello and not turning away. What an insecure and insensitive neighbor, sorry for being so direct. We live in a mill apt residence with at least 800 others and while we are keeping social distancing, we do greet folks we know and even chat awhile in the hallway or when outside. Being safe is, of course, a wise thing just as being courteous to others should be. I can understand the loneliness you must be experiencing and hope it helps to know that your blogger friends are here online, but wish we could be there to say hello in person. Stay well and hang in there, my friend.

I still see my Mom twice a week. My older brother told her that if she didn't need me, she could tell me to stay home! Who would get her groceries, mail, tidy up, laundry, and generally help keep her wits about her?? He wouldn't for sure. I know it's a risk to be there but it's more of a risk to not be. A friendly wave from a neighbor would even be helpful.

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